A knee replacement surgery can be quite rewarding for people suffering from extreme knee pain that is hindering their daily life activities to a large extent. Like in any other surgery, rehabilitation is a very important part of knee replacement surgery. It ensures that the surgery meets its objectives.
Post-surgery rehab will determine how fast and easy you will be back on your feet. Following are some of the most important tips that will help anybody to recover well after surgery.
Follow Your Doctor’s Advice
It is not uncommon to hear about cases where the doctor’s advice is ignored. There are several things your surgeon will be specific about, such as how to care for the wound, what medications to take, and what activities to engage in, depending on the type of knee replacement surgery. Feel free to raise any of your concerns.
Prioritize Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is your best friend during recovery. It can be very appealing to rest and take it easy after the surgery, but gentle movements are very important. Physiotherapy not only helps in the movement of the operated limb but also works on strengthening muscles which slowly leads to the patient’s independence.
Physiotherapy includes exercise protocol customized for every patient. The therapist constantly adds modifications to exercise protocol after the assessment of the patient every day.
The primary goal of the therapist is to make the patient independent enough that the patient is easily able to perform daily living activities such as indoor walking, going and using the toilet as many times as the urge is felt, walks in the park, stair climbing, driving, etc. Further goals are dependent on each individual.
The therapist initially may use the help of assistive devices such as a walker, cane, stick, etc but the goal always is to make the patient free of such devices.
Manage Your Pain Effectively
Maintenance of pain is an important aspect of the recovery process. It is not uncommon to feel pain after a surgical procedure. However, there are several techniques you can use to minimize the pain levels.
Your doctor will probably recommend some medicines to ensure that you follow the prescription accurately. Along with medication, other conservative approaches such as applying ice packs, elevating the affected limb, or compression wraps can also help in reducing the pain and the swelling of the affected area.
In robotic knee surgery, postoperative discomfort may be lessened due to the accuracy of the procedure, though every recovery is peculiar in its own way.
- A Well-Set-up Recovery Area After Surgery
Prepare yourself and the house before your surgery so that recovery can be smooth afterwards. As movement will be restricted in the beginning.
There are several simple strategies you can undertake:
- Basic items should be available within reach (i.e. medications, water, phone).
- Remove loose rugs and cords to avoid tripping.
- You can get crutches, walkers, or raised toilet seats to aid you during recovery.
- A physiotherapist might help in the assessment of your home and guide you for the necessary changes to be made.
A little planning helps reduce the discomfort for the first couple of weeks after surgery.
Drink a Lot of Fluids And Eat Healthy
- Recovery undoubtedly involves taking in the right nutrients from the very beginning. Extra nutrition is needed to take care of the wound. Therefore, listen to your dietician very carefully. Whenever in doubt about what to eat or how to eat, consult the dietician.
- Dehydration and eating a diet devoid of proteins, vitamins, and minerals will lead to slow recovery and other complications.
- Citrus fruits like oranges and berries provide the body with vitamin C, which promotes the synthesis of new tissues, along with protein-rich foods like chicken, fish, lentils, etc., which reduces inflammation.
- Of course, also make sure that your water intake is sufficient enough to help in the recovery of muscle tissues and enhance flexibility.
Be Patient and Listen to Your Body
This is probably the most clinically proven piece of advice concerning recovery from a joint surgery. Everything takes time, and in this case, the recovery process is slow. Throughout one’s recovery, there are bound to be high and low days.
Patients should avoid overexertion. Always follow the advice of your surgeon and physiotherapist on the amount of movement that can be performed or the amount of activity allowed.
Do not rush your body and give yourself time to recover. While it is good to get the right dose of physical activity and stick to your exercise regimen, do not ignore the signs coming from your body. If you are in pain or if it’s starting to ache, stop and inform your doctor.
By being steady and thinking progressively, one eventually discovers that his or her mobility is getting better and better. While the recovery time after a robotic knee replacement surgery is quite less compared to traditional knee surgeries, still one has to be very patient.
Conclusion
The recovery process after surgery for a knee replacement is not as easy as most people think, because there is a need for dedication, time and proper support. Following your physician’s orders, doing physical rehabilitation, taking care of your pain, and getting nutrition in good amounts will allow you to return to your busy and painless life.
